Join BirdID on a unique learning experience to beautiful Bulgaria and the south-east european wilderness! Through mountains and wetlands we explore one of the most diverse and rich bird areas Europe can offer.
May every year, as long as there are enough participants. We need at least 8 new participants and there are maximum 10 available spots. If we have less than 8 participants in a given year, the trip will be cancelled that year. The Bulgaria field course lasts for 7 days.
The price for the whole trip is ca. 400 euro per person – flights not included. You pay this up front. This price includes hotel-standard accommodation (2 persons of same gender per room), breakfast and dinner all days and transport. If you need a single room, you pay approx. 100 Euro extra. The price will increase slightly every year.
You have to buy your own lunch. We will drop by restaurants when possible, but some lunches will be in the field. Guides and teachers are paid by Nord University, securing high quality and an economic trip for the students.
The field course is open to all nationalities, and we only require that you have passed both exams in Western Palearctic Birds before you can join (BID2001 and BID2002). You apply at www.birdid.no My Page.
Admission is based on the time of application, and takes place in the period October - December in the year before the trip. This means that the earlier you apply, the greater your chance of getting a place in the year you apply. During the admissino period, you will receive an offer letter by email where you must answer YES or NO to the spot. Due to waiting lists and that some people decline their spot, there will be several rounds of admission throughout the winter, until we have filled all the places on the course. If you do not get a spot, you will automatically be offered a spot the following year. It is also possible to postpone the application and keep your place in the application list for one year.
After you have been allocated a spot and accepted, you will receive an invoice from us where you pay costs that cover the expenses mentioned above. All information will then be sent out via email.
We can expect to see over 200 species of birds, and we start in the mountains around Trigrad and Rhodope. This is a beautiful landscape with cliffs, rivers and farmland. We will see many species such as Griffon Vulture, Black Vulture, Egyptian Vulture and Black Stork, and perhaps also Eastern Imperial Eagle if we are lucky. We might also see Wallcreeper, Western Rock Nuthatch, Blue Rock Trush, Lesser Grey Shrike, Masked Shrike, Long-legged Buzzard, Hobby, Golden Oriole, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Sombre Tit, Black-headed Bunting, Subalpine warbler, Olive-tree Warbler and many others.
We drive on to Bourgas, a flat area on the Black sea. This landscape has lots of small lakes and saltpans, and is regarded as one of the richest bird areas in Europe. Dalmatian Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant and Ruddy Shelduck are found among many other ducks and waders. We also expect to find Roller, Semi-collared flycatcher and many other species.
We continue along the coast of the Black sea to the areas near the Romanian border. Here we will find farmland, lakes and steppe areas, with a diverse bird fauna. Among the numerous wetland birds we expect to find Ferruginous Duck, Little Bittern and Glossy Ibis. Besides we hope to find Levant Sparrowhawk, Red-footed falcon, Caspian Gull and many more.
The temperature in Bulgaria varies between 5-30 oC. Weather can be changing, so bring clothes for all kinds of weather. Bed linen is included in all hotels. The hotels are of varying standards, but usually 2 or 3 stars. Showers and hot water are available in all hotels. Time zone is GMT + 2. Currency is BGN. You will need some cash, as cards do not work in all remote places. We usually drive past an ATM every day. Most credit cards are accepted.
Electricity is 220 V. Along the roads there are both Cyrillic and Roman letters. Sunrise is around 06:00, sunset around 21:00. People speak Bulgarian, but some also speak English. Crime is not prominent, but valuables must be removed from the car.
Pack in a bag rather than a suitcase – it is easier to handle in the cars. Otherwise, remember to bring a telescope, binoculars, camera, bird book, notebook, mosquito repellent and sunscreen. You are not insured through Nord University, so you must have your own travel insurance that covers you and your equipment. Remember your passport, visa is not necessary.